07/13/2009

Nikolaihof, part #2

Now that I go over my notes and dig deeper I realize there's something called Codex Wachau which is a testament to purity in wine. But even though the code says no to chemical and flavor changing additives, they ignore the issue of yeast.
For some reason, and I just cannot understand this, yeast is not considered an additive.
It's just as accepted as breathing the air. Needed. Get your eight glasses of water a day. Add. Dissolve. You know.
Never the less there are a few who shun yeast, who believe it to be a rather harsh converter of flavor into something expected, into the boring. Nikolaihof.
Nikolaihof's home is just outside of Krems, not far from a nursery (not for children) and once inside the great medieval gates (even though the roots of the place go back to the year 2000) the fragrance from their century- old elderberry tree, impossibly fragrant , for a second made me feel like some goddess of nature was opening up her arms and embracing me with scent and blossom. If only.
The scene on 1st avenue seemed far far away under the linden tree.
But as heady as it was, once again I searched for wifi, distracting and probably annoying to all those around me. I was given the password. Even here, in the bowels of early Biodynamism, wifi exists! Once again connected, snuggled into my safety blanket of access, I gave myself over to the wines. And these were my favorites
'08 NIKOLAIHOF HEFEABZUG--very fresh. apple. complex finish. vibrant. straight to the gut with no interference. silver and floral
'08 GV M WEINGEBIRGE, federspiel
gorgeous acidity, lively dancing, depp, herbal and pepper.
'07 IM M WEINGEBIRGE Smaragd
delicate, long acid, quiet aromatics, silvery, touch of earth. electric.(see--here's that electric word again---separated by months, and only when writing this post did I go back to the February tasting and see that I was repeating myself. I haven't seen the vineyard, but now I'm dying to.)
Riesling? Of course!
08 Federspiel? I could drink that beaut every nite with its limpid, barely there linden perfume.
2005 Steiner Hund
Tannin, mineral, tobaco, internal, rofound, keeps on coming at you with flower and linden and it argues. This wine is arguing with me, god damn it, and I love it! Cedar, smoke, necatrine--juice dripping and stone licking.
'94 Steiner Hund Spatlese (!) well, even though that vineyard is irrigated, which has my head scratching I cannot deny the wine, is a new found love. This is caramel and salty and jumpy as a firefly in a jar. I stole a bottle and kept it by my side during dinner. One day, my love, we will meet again.
2008 Neuberger: crushed aspirin and salted nuts, reminds me of some furmint.
If you are in the Wachau, a visit here is demanded of you. You cannot pass go. You cannot. And what's more, if you don't book a table at their restaurant, you're out of your mind.
http://www.nikolaihof.at/
Tel.: +43 (0) 27 32 - 82 901

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